Day: December 16, 2025

Flowers were placed at Ahmed al Ahmed’s shop as locals praise him for disarming an attacker during the Bondi Beach mass shooting in Sydney
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— Reuters (@Reuters) Dec 16, 2025

Ukrainian forces continue counterattacking in the Kupyansk direction as Russian ultranationalist milbloggers acknowledge the severity of the situation for Russian forces. ⬇️

– Ukrainian Joint Forces Group Spokesperson Colonel Viktor Trehubov reported on December 15 that Ukrainian forces continue clearing operations within Kupyansk and are avoiding engaging in urban combat, and that Russian forces are using unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to supply the grouping of around 100 to 200 Russian personnel left within Kupyansk. Trehubov implied that the Russian forces’ logistical situation is complicated in Kupyansk because UAVs have a limited carrying capacity, cannot fly over certain areas, and occasionally drop supplies in a way that exposes Russian positions to Ukrainian forces. A non-commissioned officer (NCO) of a Ukrainian brigade operating in the Kupyansk direction reported that Ukrainian forces have liberated several settlements and nearby forest areas, and that elements of his brigade are operating within northern Kupyansk. The NCO stated that Russian forces continue attempting infiltration missions to reinforce positions in Kupyansk through a gas pipeline, but that Ukrainian forces have blocked the pipeline and have all possible egress points under fire control. Geolocated footage published on December 14 and 15 indicates that Russian forces likely do not hold positions within Petropavlivka (east of Kupyansk), contrary to Russian claims of advances in the area.

– Russian milbloggers continued to acknowledge that the situation for Russian forces in Kupyansk is deteriorating. A milblogger claimed that Russian forces hold some positions in northern and central Kupyansk but that the rest of the city is either a contested “gray zone” or Ukrainian-held. Another milblogger claimed that the situation for Russian forces in western Kupyansk is rapidly worsening; that elements of the Russian 68th Motorized Rifle Division (6th Combined Arms Army [CAA], Leningrad Military District [LMD]) are “desperately fighting” and acknowledged that Ukrainian forces advanced within Kupyansk and Myrove (immediately northwest of Kupyansk). The milblogger claimed that Russian forces no longer have manpower superiority in the area and that Ukrainian interdiction efforts are hindering Russian operations. The milblogger stated that Ukrainian gains in Kupyansk have forced Russian drone operators to withdraw from the area to the east (left) bank of the Oskil River.

The Kremlin has been leveraging claims of advances in and near Kupyansk for a cognitive warfare effort designed to portray the Ukrainian lines as on the verge of collapse, such that Ukraine and the West should concede to Russia’s demands, and the Ukrainian counterattacks in the Kupyansk direction continue to demonstrate that to be false.Institute for the Study of War (@TheStudyofWar)NEW: US, Ukrainian, and European officials reportedly agreed on unspecified security guarantees for Ukraine during a peace negotiation meeting in Berlin, Germany, on December 15. ⬇️(1/2)

Ukrainian forces conducted an unmanned underwater vehicle (UUV) strike against a Russian submarine for the first time in naval history on the night of December 14 to 15.

Ukrainian forces continue counterattacking in the Kupyansk direction as Russian ultranationalist milbloggers acknowledge the severity of the situation for Russian forces.

Russian forces are striking Ukrainian logistics lines in Odesa Oblast with various air-launched munitions, including glide bombs, highlighting Ukraine’s urgent need for a well-provisioned and diverse air defense umbrella.

Russian strikes appear to be advancing the Kremlin’s stated goal of degrading Ukraine’s energy infrastructure by splitting Ukraine’s power grid in half. Ukraine requires Western-provided air defense systems and partner support for its drone interceptor development to safeguard itself against increasingly devastating strikes on its energy infrastructure.—  https://x.com/TheStudyofWar/status/2000750522186211685

— Institute for the Study of War (@TheStudyofWar) Dec 16, 2025

Romania’s government survives no-confidence vote over reform plans  reut.rs/4rY8n0h  reut.rs/4rY8n0h

— Reuters (@Reuters) Dec 16, 2025

Debate over the dissolution of Mexico City’s transparency institute erupted into chaos as lawmakers from the opposition National Action Party took the podium to protest the measure
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— Reuters (@Reuters) Dec 16, 2025